is seven thousand faddahs.  Do you take it and hie with it to the Sultan who shall buy it of you and pay you the price.”  They obeyed his bidding and wending to the palace of the Grand Wazir found him sitting with the Lords of the land and with the Nobles of the realm talking over the matter of the King when behold, those who brought the mat entered into his presence.  Quoth the Minister, “What be that which is with you?” and quoth they, “A mat!” whereupon he bade them unroll it and they did so before him; and he, being sagacious, experienced in all affairs, looked thereat and fell to examining the bundle and turning it about, and considering it until suddenly he espied signs thereupon figured.  He at once understood what they meant and he was rightly directed to the place where the King was confined; so he arose without delay and after ordering them to seize those who had brought the mat took with him a party and went forth, he and they, after mastering the marks which were upon the weft.  He ceased not wending (and the people of the pit with him under arrest) until such time as he arrived at the place.  Here they went in and opened the souterrain and brought out the King who was still in Darwaysh garb.  Presently the Wazir sent for the Linkman and when he appeared they seized all who were in that place and struck off their heads; but as for the women they put them into large sacks[FN#329] of camel’s hair and drowned them in the river:  furthermore, they spoiled all that was on that site and the Sultan gave orders to raze the house until it became level with the ground.  When all this had been done they questioned the Sultan concerning the cause of that event and he informed them of what had befallen him from incept to conclusion and lastly he cried, “Wall hi! the cause of my escape from this danger was naught save the handicraft which I learnt; to wit, the making of mats, and the Almighty requite with welfare him who taught me because he was the means of my release; and, but for my learning this trade, ye had never known the way to discover me, seeing that Allah maketh for every effect a cause.”  And having on such wise ended this tale Ibn Ahyam[FN#330] fell to relating to the King the history of

                 Therighteous wazir wrongfully
                        gaoled.[FN#331]

It is related that there was a King among the manifold Kings of Al-Hind, and he had a Wazir which was a right good counsellor to the realm and pitiful to the lieges and the Fakirs and merciful to the miserable and just in all his dealings.  Despite this the Grandees of the kingdom hated him and envied him, and at all times and seasons when he went forth the presence or returned to his house, one of the Emirs would come forward and say to the King, “O our lord, verily the Wazir doth of doings thus and thus,”—­And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say.  Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next night and that was